Soil Potassium

AUS-AKW-CON-SOK General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 30 to 300 mg/kg
Optimal Range: 30 to 300
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 3 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 2 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard UpperThreshold Guard

Evidence & Context

A broad "sufficient functional range" of 30-300 mg/kg is more appropriate. The system is resilient, not optimized for production.

Metric Definition:

Broad sufficient functional range of available soil potassium within which native flora are adapted to function effectively.

Benchmark Definition:

Range of available soil potassium concentrations representing a sufficient functional range for ecosystem resilience.

Justification:

Native plants function effectively across a wide spectrum of potassium levels above a critical minimum; narrow optimal range concept not supported.

Sources (1)

Preview of (PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025
(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025

(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate

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Supporting Sources (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of "Soil potassium-crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia"
"Soil potassium-crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia"
Contextual Support Journal

"Soil potassium-crop response calibration relationships and criteria for field crops grown in Australia"

View Source
Preview of Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 12, 2025,
Estimating woody vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid rangelands - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Agronomic and ecological studies on potassium excess effects

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 24 Mar 2026

Notes

The system is resilient, not optimized for production.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AKW-CON-SOK family.

80 mg/kg Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
Point Active v1
300 mg/kg Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
UpperThreshold Active v1